SexySlim

When I get into a size 14 I will buy White jeans from the Gap!

I know when I reach my goal weight I'm getting a Michael Kors purse. I don't really have any mini-goal rewards. I'm already really good at loving myself and showering myself with gifts

I'm in my 5th week post today, so me, my hubby and my cousin ( all sleevers) went to lunch. This is my first dining out since surgery. We went to our favorite diner. Figured I'd have more 'sleeve friendly' choices. So I ordered a lunch special, it was chunks of chicken with onions, mushrooms and feta cheese. Omg was it delicious. But it was HUGE. It came with Soup which I gave to my husband. He is only 1 week post. My cousin had a large Greek salad with grilled chicken. So we're done eating and the waitress comes by and sees our barely eaten meals. Looking puzzled she asked if everything was ok. We said oh yes, delicious. She gave us a cockeyed look. Lol. We wrapped our meals to go, and I just made 4 more meals out of my $10.00 lunch!! I love my sleeve!!!

OMG!!! Got my date...august 23rd with Dr. Kelly!!

My mother-in-law was on Topomax for bipolar disorder and she did end up losing quite a bit of weight but she was a zombie when she was on it. I'm really surprised the doc gave it to you. As you mentioned, it really does have some nasty side effects.
I hate seeing docs pushing meds for weight loss. There is no miracle pill out there and a big part of our problem is that we need to learn to eat correctly. pills can't do that.

He's great and he has been since he first called me on the phone last month. He answers all questions and is very friendly. I heard good things about him on these boards before I chose him. I would never choose an arrogant surgeon. I haven't met this new assistant everyone is talking about. I met Ana and Dr. Kelly's wife, she drove us around in a big van. They are great as well!

So I'm almost three weeks post-op. I'm in my hometown to visit my dad for the week. He has stage 4 cancer. We had to get him an ambulance to come to the house last night to get him to the ER. He is now in icu. Pre-sleeve me would be stuffing my face with all the food available at all of these restaurants in a 1 mile radius. I'm enjoying some KFC mashed potatoes instead. No more emotional eating for me thanks to my new sleeve.
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So I'm almost three weeks post-op. I'm in my hometown to visit my dad for the week. He has stage 4 cancer. We had to get him an ambulance to come to the house last night to get him to the ER. He is now in icu. Pre-sleeve me would be stuffing my face with all the food available at all of these restaurants in a 1 mile radius. I'm enjoying some KFC mashed potatoes instead. No more emotional eating for me thanks to my new sleeve.
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Not sure what adverse things you have seen on Dr Kelly, but he is my choice over Garcia for a few reasons. Dr Garcia has five years bariatric experience, Dr Kelly has fourteen! Dr Kelly belings to the prestigeous FACS, Garcia does not. Dr Kelly also belongs to the American Bariatric Association. In my opionion, he is much more qualified, and he wouldnt belong to the FACS if anything you read was more than just idle gossip. at any rate, choose your doctor on their credentials, skill, and follow up care. Good luck

I love that restaurant but hate going uptown or downtown..lol I always get them confused!!! But we went there for my sister's dinner and everything was included including liquor, we pigged out that night. Guess that is why I am the way I am now lol.
But hey, famous daves is gonna get it on May 7th!!!
SexySlim, I didnt realize you were so close to me (based off of your zip code). We are practically neighbors!!!!

Thanks for posting this, I have never heard of this article either. I have struggled with my weight since childhood and always did diets with my mom, while she took Water pills. I also wanted to know what was wrong with me and why I couldn't lose weight like a normal person. Hoping I had hypothyroidism or something as well. Like I needed a logical explanation! You would think that after the 4th time doing weight watchers, I would know it doesn't work for me, but I still signed up that 5th time. smh. So happy to be sleeved!

Great article, I hadn't seen this before. It made me angry too, because I've always known that my metabolism is not normal, that I need far more exercise and less calories to maintain a much higher weight. I can't count the number of times I brought my failures to my doctors, begging for an answer, praying for a thyroid problem, anything to be a reason... and they just accused me of cheating, lying.... said to eat less and exercise more when I was already eating 1000 calories a day and not losing. It all makes alot of sense. The thing that gets me is if these things are known, why do the doctors still preach the "calories in, calories out" mantra and deny that some people may have a legitimate metabolic issue? GRRRRRRRR!!!

People do not take the time to read the facts. They listen to the media and we know how they are. The fact is there are about 17 violent crimes per 100,000 people, a lot less than most major cities in the U.S. We hear about the drug cartels, well, we have them here in the states too, we call them gangs. You can find trouble anywhere you go regardless of what country you are in. As long as you are not where you should not be doing what you should not be doing, you will be fine. I have found the people of Tijuana to be very friendly and they have some great places to eat, 4 ounces at a time.
I actually spend quite a bit of time in Tijuana and I agree with several posters, it is the driving habits that scare me more than anything. The good news is since I have lost my weight, I can run across the road a lot faster now.

The BMi requirement is 35-39 for two years but you have to have two things wrong with you... Like diabetes and joint issues. To qualify outright you have to have a BMi of 40 for two years even of you have no other issues.
I thought of doing that but that's just too much for me. My knees are killing me from the weight I have on me now. To add more weight would kill me... So forget kaiser I'm going to Mexico

Three weeks out and feeling great! Prior to surgery, I researched for months and in spite of being very well educated about the procedure and its life-changing impact, I was filled with fear and dread that I might be one of the few who just don't fare well afterwards. In particular, I feared nausea, vomiting, aversion to food sight and smells, and to never wanting to cook for family and friends again. Not to mention blood clots, dying... you know the list...
I guess I kept my end of my deal with Fate... if I worry enough, think ahead enough, prepare enough, then the bad things I worry about just won't happen!
I am able to tolerate every food I've tried so far, I don't have to take teeny sips and bitty bites, I can already hold 8 oz. Soup, I've had not one moment of nausea, have not vomited once, and the worst pain of the surgery was the blasted shoulder pain from the gas. I do tire easily and have trouble sleeping from arthritic pain (still off arthritis meds for three more weeks!).
I write this to encourage those whose decisions may be delayed by fear. This is not to discourage thorough research and education, and not to make light of the risks. I do think we read more about problems than successes just because it is natural to look for help online rather than to post victories online.
Oh, and losing from half pound to a pound every day!!!
Yay!

Apparently so. I could go on and on for pages about how incompetent she was but I won't. I ended up having to write a longggggg complaint letter to Kaiser about her and then miraculously, I was approved 2 weeks later. She was the worst!!!! I refused to go down without a fight and pay for it out of pocket. It was a long wait/road but I am finally here and will be getting it done for "free" on 4/23. I swear I believe Kaiser puts you thru a bunch of mess hoping you just give up. Not me buddy! With all the money I pay for that insurance, I was determined I was going to reap the benefits and get this surgery on their dime! LOL

Lol yes this was a decision that took a lot of thought. I was like look there are stop signs. Look there's a crosswalk. It actually wasn't that bad. Once the cars saw that you were trying to cross they stopped. I had to shuffle across because I didn't want to hold up traffic. I told my friend I survived surgery I can't die in Mexico crossing the street!
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Given the fact that I've had to change doctors 4 times in the last 9 years because of lousy care, this makes me VERY angry. I've seen more dirty clinics and hospitals here in the U.S. - enough that I'm very disappointed in the care I've received via my ***. So this kind of thought process is ridiculous. Health care in the U.S. is in serious decline and we are going to start seeing more and more people go for care in other countries because we simply cannot afford it any more.
U.S. Insurance does not see obesity as a preventative disease unless you are morbidly obese and have comorbidities. I think that's utterly ridiculous. The concept of not WAITING until someone gets sick from their obesity is lost on U.S. healthcare. It drives me crazy.
It makes me so angry that I, at a BMI of almost 35, and super healthy except for my weight - cannot get any help with this surgery, pre-op or post-op, because I am healthy. I have to wait until I am 50 and have blown out knees, diabetes, heart disease, or whatever, before insurance will help. I think that is LUDICROUS.
So Mexico is ahead of the game on this surgery. Oh you can get it here in the US. - as an outpatient for $20K. That's unaffordable, and considering that I'm STILL not covered post-op for any complications, WHY would I have it done in the U.S??? Yes these places tell you that they "guarantee" their surgeries for so long, but that's not the point... if it was bad enough to need hospitalization, then you could rack up some huge bills.
If my experience in Mexico is as good as others, I may just start going there for all of my healthcare. I already pay $500 a month for crappy health insurance that really doesn't cover much. I could probably get better care in Mexico.
Sorry but as a doctor myself - a veterinarian - the way the U.S. healthcare system treats people is appalling. There's a reason we are losing ground in our standing in the world with regards to Healthcare. There is a saying in medicine that goes like this: "A chance to cut is a chance to cure" and it applies to obesity too!!!

I got the same reaction from my Clinic here on campus. What it really comes down to is ignorance and border-line racism. A Mexican doctor can't be as good as a US one? But European ones can be. Hmmm.

Sorry you had to go through that. She sounds ignorant and uninformed. It's sad that doctors take the oath "do no harm" yet refuse to treat you if you have surgery by someone they don't know. I was sleeved by Dr. Kelly last Wednesday. He is an excellent surgeon! I hope you find a supportive PCP that is interested in your overall well being and health.

Sorry you had to go through that. She sounds ignorant and uninformed. It's sad that doctors take the oath "do no harm" yet refuse to treat you if you have surgery by someone they don't know. I was sleeved by Dr. Kelly last Wednesday. He is an excellent surgeon! I hope you find a supportive PCP that is interested in your overall well being and health.

Sorry you had to go through that. She sounds ignorant and uninformed. It's sad that doctors take the oath "do no harm" yet refuse to treat you if you have surgery by someone they don't know. I was sleeved by Dr. Kelly last Wednesday. He is an excellent surgeon! I hope you find a supportive PCP that is interested in your overall well being and health.

I remembered this article from my first foray into low carbing (Atkins Diet), and thought I'd share it. It's a funny, informative explanation of why we need to drink our Water, and why that damn scale can drive us nuts by not moving, while our body is getting smaller.

http://www.carbsmart.com/outout.html

Out Out Damn Scale!

By Sonya Tilley, CarbSmart Contributor


Here we go again...
How the hell does your body hold onto weight and still manage to get smaller while you are on your chosen low carb diet?!? Losing inches but not weight? You know the scenario: You are on Induction for two weeks, and you haven't cheated even once. You notice that your clothes fit better, that you are stepping a little livelier, and as far as you're concerned, all's right with the world.
But then you step on that evil construction of the Devil himself, the bathroom scale, and you instantly feel betrayed. The stupid thing insists that you have done nothing! Sometimes, it even states you have done less than nothing; it accuses you of cheating because it tells that you haven't lost any weight! Well, there area couple of simple explanations to help you get through this trying time.
First of all, if it is at all possible for you to do so, throw that insipid Monster Scale in the trash. Or at least put it up somewhere that it is really, REALLY inconvenient to get to so that you won't be tempted to ask it's opinion every single day of your life. Face it. If you are feeling better and your clothes are looser, do you really need the scale to tell you that you're on the right track? No! You don't! Why do you think you do it, then? I'll tell you why. The low fat diet demons have a tenacious hold on your brain. That's right, you've been brainwashed. All your life they have told you through doctors, dietitians, newspaper and magazine articles, surgeon generals and the like, that you give up X calories per day and you will lose a pound of fat. They even go on to tell you how much fat you should lose each week. In the process, they've made you dependent on the Monster Scale to gauge your progress!
What a big lie!
Even on the diets that "they" advocate, the Monster Scale does not often cooperate. You go back to the Diet Demons and demand to know why the scale does not reflect the torture you have put yourself through for a month. They immediately start backpedaling on the "give up X calories and lose a pound of fat" story, and start talking to you about water retention and muscle buildup. Sometimes, they even blame it on you with questions like, "Are you sure you counted the calories in everything you ate?" (This is delivered with a knowing little smile that makes you want to rip their knowing little face off.) Being the type that is given to blaming things on yourself, anyway, you cooperate with an answer like, "Well….." They pounce on this with "Ahhhh, well.." Then, they launch into one of their scoldings/lash/encouragement speeches.
So, get off their bandwagon, already!
Then, there's the competitive spirit. You hear about what other people have done on your chosen diet. Yes, Brian went on Atkins a year ago and lost over a hundred pounds. Yes, a hundred pounds in a year is over eight pounds a month, or 2 pounds a week, or .0119 pounds per hour….but, "Hello? You ain't Brian!" And, did Brian ever say that he lost .0119 pounds per hour? No! He said a hundred pounds in a year. This only proves he got on the scale twice; a year ago, and yesterday. Take a hint from Brian. Stay off the scale!
The second solution is to understand what is going on in your body in light of the current state of human affairs. Today, all a person has to have to eat every day is money and transportation to a grocery store or, better yet, a nice restaurant. However, your body's survival instincts have not matured in a million years. Your body still thinks you are a hunter-gatherer. Yes, in spite of a million years of evolution, your body still thinks you are going to have to go out and kill a mammoth to eat. The survival instincts with which you are going to have to come to terms are read-only memory. You can't overwrite them. Deal with it.
That said, let me tell you what happens when you lose a pound of fat. Your body has been saving this fat for that long hunting expedition you're going to have to go on to track, kill, dress and retrieve that huge animal. It keeps the fat in little pillows distributed throughout your body. When you start losing fat, it doesn't trust you to continue whatever insane path you have chosen that is causing the fat to dissipate. So, when the fat comes out of the pillow, it injects water as a "place holder." Sometimes that water actually replaces the weight of the fat it lost. Sometimes it replaces the volume.
Water weighs more than fat just like lead sinkers weigh more than feathers. If you stuff a pillow with a pound of feathers, you'll have a nice big pillow. If you stuff a pillow with a pound of lead sinkers, you'll have a nice (but rather hard and uncomfortable), small pillow. Now, let's say your body removes a pound of fat and replaces the weight with a pound of water. Your weight will stay the same, but you will be smaller. But, if your body decides to replace the lost fat by volume, that is a quite different story. Remember the great big feather pillow as compared to the tiny lead sinker pillow? Well, now think of a gallon of feathers and a gallon of lead sinkers. Try to pick up the gallon of feathers. Piece of (you'll pardon the expression) cake. Now, try to pick up the gallon of lead sinkers. Sucker's heavy, ain't it? So, you will be smaller, but you will have gained weight.
Eventually, your body makes the executive decision that you are not going to replace the fat you lost, and it lets go of the water. In the words of Danny Skaist: "When your body accepts the fact that they are no longer needed, the water will be expelled and the cells closed. This is known as the "whoosh."
What makes your body decide to replace by weight or replace by volume? I dunno. But I do know that it does not seem consistent to the casual observer. What makes your body decide that you are seriously not going to replace the fat you lost? I dunno. But now you know why it's so important to drink your water, huh? Loss of fat is inextricably related to water intake. It's more than a little foolish to go on a diet that facilitates the removal of fat and then refuse to give your body the tools it needs to do so.
Bottom Line: Stop getting on the scale and drink your water. If you stick to your plan and wait for the "whoosh," it will come.

I feel that the sleeve gives me great restriction i.e. I cant hold much food. I still eat what I love but I have to put Protein first or I will not feel my best. Sure, I can eat cheetos now and ice cream and other slider foods with no nutritional value but you will learn that you dont feel very good after eating that type of food. I have the occasional snack and maybe a small icecream at the zoo but I dont eat it every day. Before surgery it seemed I never got full. I would eat the things I loved until I couldnt move because I liked the full feeling and i wanted to keep tasting it. Now, I cant eat but a few bites, its still just as delicious and i get that really full feeling, I used to love. I dont love it anymore. I try not to eat that extra bite that will take me there. I like being satisfied but not overfull. I like the way I feel when I eat lean Protein and I only pick the reallly good tasting meats, etc. If you arent eating much, you might as well have the best of the best!
What I am saying is it is really the best of both worlds. You still get to eat the good foods you always loved, its just much smaller portions. You can have a small snack here and there of cheetos or icecream or whatever and you will still be fine as far as weight loss goes. I dont mean get a big full fat latte at starbucks everyday and milkshakes and all that crap. You will not feel very good if you drink all your calories and you wont have any energy (kinda like you feel now when you overeat and are sluggish). So, the word Tool is there to remind us that although it helps tremendously, think hammer and nail, you stilll have to swing the hammer to get the nail to go in, but the job is so much easier than if you had to get the nail in the wall with your fingers... I hope this helps. T